Yu's Acupuncture & Wellness, LTD.

FAQ

Do acupuncture needles hurt?

Most people barely feel a thing when needles are inserted. Somepeople feel a slight pinch, and others ask “Is it in yet?” The reasonacupuncture needles don’t give the painful sensation you might expect isbecause they’re very, very thin in comparison to the hypodermic needles used togive injections. Hypodermic needles are necessarily hollow so that the shot canbe injected. They also have a very blunt point (actually a wedge shape) incomparison to an acupuncture needle. Forty acupuncture needles can fit into thetip of one standard 18 gauge hypodermic needle.

There are certain sensations associated with the therapeuticeffects of acupuncture, which are known as de qi (pronounced “day-chee”). Thesemay include slight cramping, heaviness, distention, tingling or electricsensation traveling along a meridian. If any discomfort is experienced, it isusually mild.

Is acupuncture safe?

Acupuncture is very safe. The average liability coverage for anacupuncturist is about $600 per year, while primary care physicians pay anaverage of $12,000 per year. That’s a 20:1 difference. While this may nottranslate into exactly a 20 to 1 difference in safety, a visit to anacupuncturist is at least as safe as a visit to your doctor, if not safer.

Acupuncture needles are extremely safe, because they arepre-sterilized, individually packaged, and disposable. Every practitioner getsextensive training in anatomy so as to avoid accidentally inserting a needle ina place that can cause damage.

Do I have to believe in it for it to work? Does acupuncture always work?

Acupuncture and herbs work whether you believe in them or not.Good results are seen in the majority of cases. When all other treatmentmethods have failed, this indicates a systematic imbalance - exactly whatacupuncture and herbs excel at treating.

What Should I Expect On My First Visit?

During your first office visit, we spend a lot of time getting acomplete picture of your health and lifestyle. We examine the condition of yourtongue (is it cracked, coated, excessively pink? etc.), and check your pulse onboth wrists (the quality of your pulse gives information about possibleimbalances). We’ll also ask questions about your emotional state, and specificsymptoms you may have.

This is done because unlike Western medicine, we treat the wholeperson instead of focusing on the symptoms of your condition. The first visitcan last from an hour to an hour and a half.

Your subsequent visits will be much faster - usually an hour long.We’ll make a short review of your progress followed by an acupuncturetreatment.

How often would I need to come in for treatment?

Typically acupuncture treatments are given once a week. If thecondition is acute and painful, treatments may be given 2-3 times per weekuntil the condition starts to come under control. The exact duration oftreatment depends on the condition, your basic level of health, and how wellyou respond to acupuncture.

How does Acupuncture work?

In Chinese medical theory, acupuncture works by balancing thebody’s Qi. Qi can be described as a form of bioenergy that runs along 12 majormeridians. If Qi gets blocked, it shows up as an imbalance or illness.Basically, if you have a health condition, some part of your body’s system isout of whack. Chinese medical theory allows us to diagnose the imbalance… andbalance it.

In Western medical theory, acupuncture appears to work bystimulating parts of the brain. It also stimulates the body to release naturalbiomolecules such as neurotransmitters, vasodilators, and hormones. The exactmechanisms which brings this about are unknown, but the effects are measurable.

A good example of this is the use of acupuncture to induce labor.One of the first things that Oriental medical students learn is that there area few points that are absolutely forbidden to use with pregnant women. Thesepoints cause the release of oxytocin, which is the hormone that naturallyinduces labor. Studies have shown that using acupuncture to induce labor reduces the active (painful) phase of labor by an averageof 3.6 hours.

Does insurance cover Acupuncture?

We are in network for CIGNA & UNITED HEALTH CARE. In addiion, we accept BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD (out of network)

You can usually find out by calling the number on insurance card and find out if you have Acupuncture is in your plan.